Dark Paradise
by LovelyLadiiZ
Summary: He knew from the moment he saw her that they were meant to be together. Their time with each other ended entirely too soon, he knew. Horatio would do anything, absolutely anything to have his Mari back. H/M oneshot songfic set 10x01 Countermeasures.


Author's Note: Yes, it's me again. I'm still working on Not Your Average Angel, but—once again—I sparked a great fanfic idea and I had to write it down.

Let me warn you now: I literally was crying by the time I finished writing this. This is some _very_ heavy angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: Miami. (But if I did, Marisol Caine would still be around, believe me.) I also don't own the song "Dark Paradise" by Lana Del Rey.

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><p><em>All my friends tell me I should move on<br>I'm lying in the ocean, singing your song  
>Oh, that's how you sang it<br>Loving you forever, can't be wrong  
>Even though you're not here, I won't move on<br>Oh, that's how we played it_

He knew from the moment he saw her that they were meant to be together.

He remembered that moment clearly. She was standing there in handcuffs, brought in for having marijuana in her possession. Sure it wasn't the most romantic first impression, but Horatio could tell that this woman, this Marisol Delko, was far from a criminal.

She was tall—with or without heels. Her long black curls fell over her fair shoulders, framing her oval face. He had to tell himself repeatedly not to stare at her while she gave her statement in the interrogation room. It wasn't like he had never seen a beautiful woman before. Why on earth did he have such a hard time prying his gaze away from her? Horatio wasn't exactly sure.

Once he told her that she was free to go, she smiled at him. That smile, that beautiful smile made Horatio's heart do backflips. Sure, her smile could've been a natural reaction for being let off the hook, but Horatio sensed it was much more than that.

_And there's no remedy for memory  
>Your face is like a melody,<br>it won't leave my head  
>Your soul is haunting me and telling me<br>That everything is fine  
>But I wish I was dead<br>_

He recalled how she asked him to dinner that same day. Trying to stay professional, he told her he couldn't. But his professionalism went flying out the window when she smiled at him again. He remembered how flustered he got when she did. His brain told him to act casual, to simply ask what time to meet her that night.

Yet that simple task didn't seem so simple when he was standing before the beautiful Marisol Delko. He stuttered and stammered for a while before he finally could form the words. He then dropped his head as an attempt to hide his now-reddened cheeks. He saw her smile once more in his peripheral as she walked away.

That night he remembered they had an amazing dinner together. She was a wonderful cook, and her personality reflected her looks. She was absolutely beautiful, inside and out.

From that night on, their relationship seemed to escalate. With her, Horatio felt he didn't need to doubt his true emotions. He loved her with every fiber of his being, from the very first time he laid eyes on her.

One day, she asked a question that changed both of their lives forever. She wanted to know if they could take their relationship to the next level, wanted to know if she could marry him. He couldn't describe how unbelievably overjoyed he was to hear those words. And naturally, he said yes.

Many people talk about love at first sight, but Horatio knew he was living it. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he wanted this woman to be his wife, and that they were meant to be together forever.

_Every time I close my eyes  
>it's like a dark paradise<br>No one compares to you  
>I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side<br>_

He couldn't even begin to describe how heart-wrenching it was to see her lying on the stretcher once he got word that she'd been shot. There was no way that he could lose his wife, not after only a single day.

They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together. They were supposed to have children, have a big happy family. They were supposed to grow old together, and Horatio had already thought of stories he'd tell their children, their grandchildren. She couldn't leave him now.

_All my friends ask me why I stay strong  
>Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on<br>Oh, that's why I stay here  
><em>

He remembered walking into that hospital room the day that she died. He could tell by her pallid color and pained expression that she didn't have much time left. He held her hand, reminding her that they had dinner plans that night. He even reserved her favorite table. She told him she wouldn't stand him up on that date, but even she knew that it was beyond her control.

Horatio felt her loosen her grip on his hand. Her breaths grew shallower. She smiled weakly, before she closed her eyes one last time, breathed her last breath. Just as quickly as she came into his world, she left it.

His precious Marisol was gone.

_And there's no remedy for memory  
>your face is like a melody,<br>it won't leave my head  
>Your soul is haunting me and telling me<br>that everything is fine  
>But I wish I was dead<em>

Five years later, he remembered visiting that same restaurant. There, at her favorite table, sat Marisol Delko-Caine. She kept her promise after all. They were finally together again.

Horatio sensed something was off, but to be perfectly honest, he didn't care. All he cared about was his Mari. He sat at the table and held her hand, murmuring, "I missed you Mari."

And then it happened. He felt an intense burning sensation form in his stomach, and he smelt a strange metallic odor. He looked down to see a deep crimson stain bleed through his shirt. He glanced up at his Mari and she said the words he never wanted to hear.

"You have to go back."

_There's no relief, I see you in my sleep  
>And everybody's rushing me, but I can feel you touching me<br>There's no release, I feel you in my dreams  
>Telling me I'm fine<em>

_No,_ he thought. _I can't go back. I finally have you back, Mari. I can't go back. Please don't make me go back. _That's what he wanted to say, but when he opened his mouth to speak, no words escaped. His Mari stood up and passed him by, whispering again, "You have to go back."

The redhead spun around to tell her he didn't want to go back. He wanted to tell her that if dying was what he needed to do to have her back, then he'd rather die than go on another day without her. But when he gazed at his surroundings, she was gone.

_Every time I close my eyes  
>it's like a dark paradise<br>No one compares to you  
>But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight<br>_

Horatio didn't quite remember what happened after that. He knew he left the hospital without being discharged, and he remembered how hard he had to concentrate while he drove to find Randy North. He also remembered how he almost wanted to thank Randy for shooting him, for he had a chance to see his wife again.

The rest of that day passed in a blur, though. The only other thing he remembered from that day was being taken to the hospital again after he took down another suspect. He must have passed out somewhere along the ride, because he remembered seeing Marisol sitting beside him in the van, holding his hand and whispering, "You have to go back."

"Why?" he whispered back. "I can't go on without you, Mari."

"I'm sorry, Horatio, but it's not your time," she said. "You have to go back."

_Every time I close my eyes  
>It's like a dark paradise<br>No one compares to you  
>But there's no you, except in my dreams tonight,<br>Oh, I don't wanna wake up from this tonight  
>Oh, I don't wanna wake up from this tonight<em>

Unwillingly, Horatio ended up going back. He was told that if he had waited only several more hours to go back to the hospital, he would've surely died. Horatio couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if he _had_ waited longer, if he _had_ left this earth to be with his precious Marisol for the rest of eternity.

Their time with each other ended entirely too soon, he knew. Horatio would do anything, absolutely anything to have his Mari back.

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><p><span>AN(2): Review please? Whether you loved it or hated it, please let me know! I love feedback… :)


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